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ROOKE POINT High School graduate Ariana Moldovan has moved into the limelight and is currently enjoying her second year as a Washington Redskins cheerleader.
But long before she danced her way into the hearts of the public, she danced her way into the hearts of those close to her.
As a baby, she first danced in the arms of her father.
"When she would cry, he would pick her up and dance with her," reminisced her mother, Alice Moldovan. At night, her last waking moments were spent in his arms as he danced her to sleep.
"I used to tell her, 'Some day you'll be as good as me,'" her father, Paul, said he would tease her. But, he said, she went far past him. "She's my Nadia Comaneci." Comaneci was the first contestant to score a perfect 10 in women's gymnastics.
Ariana began formal dance when she was 3, and by the time she began high school she caught the eye of Brooke Point dance coach Charlotte Parish. She made the team her freshman year--only the fourth person to do so in the history of the school, said Parish.
"Ariana was a very, very, very talented young lady," remembered Parish, but she, too, noticed what lay beneath the surface.
"She was always the first one to want to help a needy family at Christmastime," said Parish. "In her day-to-day dealings and interactions with students, she was compassionate to others, always willing to lend a helping hand."
After graduating from Brooke Point in 2001, Ariana went on to Towson College, which is known for excelling in dance. During her freshman year the team won the national championship.
However, in 2002, Ariana's mother was diagnosed with lymphoma.
That and other factors compelled her to change schools to be closer to home. She decided to transfer to George Mason University, and is in her senior year there as a communications major.
The cancer diagnosis was a shock to Ariana and her family, but they have remained optimistic. Ariana has an older brother who is married and has two boys, 4-year-old twins.
Now, her mother is staying positive, and has a good prognosis and attitude. One driving goal is focused on Ariana: "I want to hold her children."
Ariana's focus has shifted as well, with more interest in cancer patients and what she can do for them. Part of her role as a Redskins cheerleader is going on promotional tours.
"I think it's so important," Ariana said of working with cancer organizations and charities. "I'd like to be more involved."
Her immediate goal is to continue with the cheerleaders, which gives her a chance not only to work with people, but to live what she is passionate about--dance and entertaining. "I love to perform in front of so many people," she said.
She's also getting a taste of fame, with bodyguards, signing autographs and modeling for the Redskins cheerleaders' swimsuit calendar.
"I didn't realize NFL cheerleaders were such a big deal," she said. "It surprised me."
It has been a pleasant surprise, though, and she is enthusiastic about the girls she cheers with and about the organization.
There's an image she has to keep up as well, such as being in full makeup even for the 3-hour practices or, for that matter, just leaving the house. You can't leave looking as if you just rolled out of bed, she said.
Plus, the girls are expected to stay in shape, and even have random weigh-ins to make sure they don't gain pounds.
Ariana, at 5 feet 4 inches and 103 pounds, doesn't have much to worry about, though.
She hopes to model in the future, but is keeping her feet on the ground by also planning a career in mortgage lending. She works at a mortgage loan company and loves her processing job there as well.
As for friends and family, they believe she can do whatever she wants.
"Ariana never failed to surprise me from Day One," said her father.
"She's just such a good person inside her heart, aside from the [external] beauty, that's what makes her shine," agreed her mother.
To reach REBEKAH ELLIOTT: 540/374-5524 relliott@freelancestar.com